Poems

Waiting - By Amy Atkins

Waiting

By Amy Atkins

 

Waiting, I’ve been waiting for two days,
to hear about the letters I dropped
over your fence into the right-hand corner of the front garden
behind the tree with red bottlebrush flowers,
after walking 20 minutes to your house
in the wrong direction.

Have you found them yet? I’ve been wondering
if they are patiently wallowing sodden by the rain
still under the tree.
Or are they in the Dog’s house 
outside, or in shreds sprawled over the lawn,
or in someone else’s hands.

I didn’t see where they landed after all,
the fence was far too high
and someone was home and I
was scared I’d be seen,
because you were scared they’d be read by the wrong person
which is why I didn’t put them in the letterbox
in the first place